Dustpan



Patented Nov. 17, 1942 UNITEDY ST'FES PATENT v OFFICE DUSTPAN Roy R. Wahrenbrock, Alma, Mo. application March 31, 194i, serial No. 385,993

I (ci. ca -2o) -3 claims.

This invention relates to receptacles employed in collecting dust or the like from floors', commonly called a dust pan, and is used with'a broom or brush in a conventional manner but embodies features which allows the operator to conveniently force the lip of the dust pan against the supporting surface whereby to preclude the entrance of dust or foreign matter b-eneath the pan instead of onto the bottom of the same.

It is the primary object of this invention therefore, to provide a dust pan with convenient means for exerting pressure on the forward edge thereof, to insure arm and even contact of sufficient intensity to eliminate the passage of dust and dirt to a place beneath the pan.

One of the important aims of this invention is the provision of a dust pan having a specially disposed swingable leg arranged with respect to a handle and linkage whereby downward pressure of said handle will create a downward pull upon a portion of the dust pan where the same engages a supporting surface.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a strong, durable and simple mechanism for use in connection with a dust pan that will allow the operator to maintain the collecting lip of the pan in tight engagement with the floor or other supporting surface without exerting a force that would tax the energies of the user.

Other aims of the instant invention will appear during the course of the following specification, referring to the accompanying drawing wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational View of a dust pan made to embody the present invention.

Fig. 2 is an inverted plan view of the same; and

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view through the rear portion of the dust pan.

The body of the pan generally designated by the numeral i5, is formed of sheet metal that is sufficiently flexible in nature to permit the action on the bottom 8 thereof, as will be more fully hereinafter set down.

The bottom 8 of pan 6 has opstanding side walls I8 along opposite sides thereof, a rear wall I 2, an overhanging flange I4 extending forwardly from rear wall I2, and joining side walls i to create a receptacle I6, and a lip i8 along the open side of pan 6 which engages the oor or supporting surface 20 when pan 6 is in an inclined normal operative position.

Inclined bars 22 are riveted or otherwise secured to side walls I8 as at 24 and are of sufficient length to have the ends thereof projecting above 5.5

and below the respective walls IE). The upper and forward ends 26 of bars 22 pivotally engage a yoke 28 as at 30. This yoke bridges the distance between the upper edges of side walls I0 and receives a handle 32, the length of which is sufficient toallow the operator to manipulate the dust pan without stooping. The lower ends 34 of bars 22 project below bottom 8 and there receive the out-turned ends 36 of U-shaped leg 38. These ends 36 are therefore journalled in bars 22 for free swinging movement, limited only by bottom 8 and links 48, which in this instance, comprise a pair of chains one end of each of which is anchored to leg 38 while the other end is secured to the underside of bottom 8 near lip I8.

A special anchoring unit 42 in the nature of a rod is employed in order that the centrally disposed links 40 may have the force exerted thereto distributed along the length of lip I8.

When links 40 are taut, leg 33 is disposed at an angle, illustrated in Figs. l and 3. Bottom 8 of pan 6 is maintained in an inclined position and lip I8 rests upon surface 28. Any downward movement exerted by the operator through handle 32 tends to move leg 38 in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 1, and thereby draw lip I8 downwardly against surface 20.

The material from which pan 6 is made is flexible enough to allow anchor 42 to distribute the force throughout the length of lip I8 and therefore, no space will be left between the lip and surface 20 through which may pass the dust that it is desired to sweep into pan 6. The point of connection between yoke 23 and bars 26 is in front of the center of pan 6, or in other words, between leg 38 and lip I8. This arrangement not only insures that downward pressure will serve the object of the invention, but causes pan 6 to swing upwardly at its forward end to drop collected material into receptacle I6.

The form of leg 38 should be as indicated-it is preferably made of round stock to insure that no marring of the supporting surface will occur and to further position the pan 6 in an inclined condition readily to receive the dust and dirt and to have lip I8 further forced against the surface 20 when the aforesaid downward movement of handle 32 occurs.

It is conceivable that dust Ipans having physical characteristics other than those shown in the accompanying drawing may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

l. A device of the character described comprising a pan having an open side; a swinging leg on the bottom of the pan spaced from the open side and adapted to hold the pan in an inclined position with the bottom along the open side of the pan resting on the supporting surface; upwardly and forwardly extending members on the `pan at each of two opposite sides thereof between the open side and the leg, said leg being mounted on the lower ends of said members and normally extending downwardly and rearwardly therefrom; la handle secured to the upper ends of said members; and links joining the leg and the bottom of the pan near said open side, said links being exible permitting free swinging movement of the leg.

2. A device of the character described comprising a pan having an open side; a swinging leg on the bottom of the pan spaced from the open side and adapted to hold the pan in an inclined position with the bottom along the open side of the pan resting on the supporting surface;

upwardly and forwardly extending members on normally extending downwardly and rearwardly therefrom; a handle secured to the upper ends of said members; and iiexible links joining the leg and the bottom of the pan near said open side, said pan having a stiifening strip rigidly secured throughout its length to the pan along the bottom thereof, said links being secured to said an- `chor.

3. A device of the character described comprising a pan having an open side; a swinging leg on the bottom of the pan spaced from the open side and adapted to hold the pan in an inclined .position with the bottom along the open side of the pan resting on the supporting surface; upwardly and forwardly extending members on the pan at each of two opposite sides thereof between the open side and the leg, said leg being mounted on the lower ends of said members and normally extending downwardly and rearwardly therefrom; a handle secured to the upper ends of said members; and fiexible links joining the leg and the bottom of the pan near said open side, said pan having a stiffening anchor along the bottom, said links being secured to said anchor, said anchor being spaced rearwardly from and parallel to the edge of the bottom of the pan along the open side thereof.

ROY R. WAHRENBROCK. 

